The old woman and her daughter were sitting on their porch when Mr. Shiftlet came up their road for the first time. The old woma
n slid to the edge of her chair and leaned forward, shading her eyes from the piercing sunset with her hand. The characters in the excerpt are an example of
religious fundamentalists.
people with disabilities.
the isolated lower classes.
the racially intolerant.
Which statement most accurately represents the excerpt’s larger idea?
Beauty and truth appear in unexpected places.
Social isolation may lead people to act immorally.
Getting what you want may not make you happy.
You may not get everything that you have bargained for.
The daughter could not see far in front of her and continued to play with her fingers. Although the old woman lived in this desolate spot with only her daughter and she had never seen Mr. Shiftlet before, she could tell, even from a distance, that he was a tramp and no one to be afraid of. His left coat sleeve was folded up to show there was only half an arm in it and his gaunt figure listed slightly to the side as if the breeze were pushing him.
The characters in the excerpt are an example of
the inexplicably violent.
religious fundamentalists.
the racially intolerant.
people with disabilities.
Which best describes the irony in the excerpt?
The heat of the day is indicative of Mr. Shiftlet’s negative feelings of his life and situation.
Mr. Shiftlet would have preferred to travel with his new wife, Lucynell, but she has left him at the diner.
The young boy rejected Mr. Shiftlet’s offer to give him a ride, and now the man finds himself alone.
Mr. Shiftlet has the car he wanted and managed to rid himself of his wife, but he still is not happy.
How does the simile in the sentence develop the Southern gothic character of Mr. Shiftlet?
The image hints at Mr. Shiftlet’s pending tragic death.
The image emphasizes that Mr. Shiftlet lives in an uncaring world.
The image reminds readers that Mr. Shiftlet is a damaged character.
The image reveals that Mr. Shiftlet will leave Lucynell behind.
Which excerpt from “The Life You Save May Be Your Own” contains an example of figurative language?
She was ravenous for a son-in-law.
The old woman agreed with him that this was so.
“Teach her to say something else,” the old woman said.
The old woman said she would give him the money.
How does the simile in the sentence develop Lucynell’s character?
The description of Lucynell's hair and eyes emphasizes her strong religious convictions.
The description of Lucynell's hair and eyes lends her an image of angelic innocence.
This description underscores the idea that Lucynell is poorly educated and inarticulate.
This description shows how Lucynell’s appearance makes her a target for Mr. Shiftlet’s cruelties.
What technique does O’Connor use in the paragraph to create compelling characters?
detailed descriptions
vivid dialogue
multiple settings
believable motivations
<span>"decapitation of the government" is the idiom Jay Winik used in the second paragraph. The idiom's intended meaning is the severance of the top government officials from the remainder of civil society through assassination. I think the idiom was chosen to add a grave visual description of the sense of the moment.</span>
